PRACTICAL GUIDE – VBAT

So you just graduated and are ready for your first big steps in the creative industry. What are some of the do's and don'ts while pursuing your dream job? The supporting agencies of FONTANEL Finals 2017 give advice. Today: creative director Graham Sturt from branding and design agency VBAT.

10 oktober 2017 — FONTANEL

What is the best way to present your portfolio? Online, as PDF and/or printed?

The medium or format doesn’t really matter to me. Online or as PDF is by far the most popular format I see. It is appreciated though when a candidate has gone to a bit of effort to create a printed package or book of their portfolio. For me it displays an extra dimension of detail and craft that you lose by default through screen only media.

How do you stand out with your portfolio?

The most outstanding portfolios I see are usually the simplest ones. A carefully edited selection of a handful of brilliantly executed ideas will always get my attention. I see too many portfolios from young designers and graduates where slick application to carriers takes priority over the idea behind the work. I’d much rather hear about a strong rationale behind the work itself than look at Photoshop visuals. Revealing some of the thought process that led you to your solution is always appreciated too.

How important is your CV, compared to your portfolio?

A CV is usually the first impression I get of a candidate. Setting the CV content aside, what I see at this point generally informs me visually of the candidates ability and level of taste. I’d much rather see a well considered, structured and restrained purely typographic approach above a decorative over-designed one. And please no photos of yourself. We are a creative agency not an accounting firm.

Pimping up your CV, an unnecessary distraction or a must to stand out?

See above. The only exception to this could be to package your CV in a way that makes it memorable. I once had an intern candidate send me a beautiful paper bird with her CV attached. That got her noticed and she interned here. I also received another CV which was ingeniously encased inside a walnut shell. That was highly memorable and we just hired the young designer responsible. So, in a nutshell, keep the CV simple and legible but consider packaging it in a special way.

Is it important for a candidate to fit in with your company culture?

We are always looking for a click with a candidate when we interview them – proactivity, positive personality traits, strong communication skills, ability to work within a team. Alongside the work, these form the foundation of what we look for. However, we are also always looking to further enrich our cultural mix here too. Bringing in new blood from diverse backgrounds keeps our company culture fresh and dynamic.

Is what you do in your spare time important?

What you do in your spare time can often inform what you do and how you perform when you are at work. Creativity isn’t something that you can switch on and off and it’s often the case that creatives find outlets in their spare time to use some of this excess energy. I actively encourage this as it opens you up to new ideas and avoids stagnation in the day job. Whether it’s taking evening art classes or visiting galleries the most important thing is to be open to absorb culture daily.

How important is personal work in comparison with commercial work?

Depending on the individual, personal work can be a great outlet for creativity. Freedom from client restrictions often allows creatives the opportunity to develop new skills and express their true selves. Finding time to do this can always be a challenge but the personal reward is often worth the effort and can coincidentally benefit our commercial work. As such we wholly support individual initiatives and recently held an exhibition at VBAT of our creatives personal work called Personal Work Stays Private Goes Public.

What’s more important, experience or enthusiasm/good ideas?

This is a catch 22 of course. If you are an inexperienced young designer or graduate you have to rely solely on enthusiasm and great ideas. Funnily enough though the same can be said of a highly experienced designer with many years of experience. For me enthusiasm and great ideas win any day. Particularly enthusiasm. The more years of experience you attain the more at risk you are of becoming cynical and jaded. Stay positive, remain humble and always try to remember what a privilege it is to work in this wonderful industry.

What is the most common mistake creatives make at application stage?

The most common mistake I see is when a creative sends out a generic application. Obviously targeting any agency for any role. These kind of applications rarely get to the interview stage. If you are serious about finding a career with a particular agency tailor your application accordingly. Get interested and find out as much as you can about the agency. Then accompany your CV with a covering letter displaying your determination and enthusiasm to work with them.

How can an applicant really impress you?

Firstly do your homework. Try to find out as much as you can about the agency. This means doing more than looking at their website the night before the interview. Try to find out about their activities and initiatives outside of their client work too. This will help you to better understand their company culture.

Secondly cultural awareness, life experience and a point of view are also going to impress. All of these are going to feed into your work in some way and help to make you stand out as a candidate.

Open applications, pointless or always worth trying?

It’s always worth sending in open applications and I try to devote some of my time each month to proactive conversations and portfolio viewings. Even though we may not have an open vacancy advertised right now it’s not to say we won’t in a month or two. If you admire a particular agency and want to be part of it be persistent and get in touch. It could well be worth that little extra effort and single minded determination in the long run.

About VBATSince 1984, VBAT have been passionate about giving brands, products and spaces the life force they need to thrive in the marketplace. Just before the summer, VBAT launched their new core proposition: ‘We Design Change’. The new vision exactly reflects on what the agency has been doing for almost 35 years: designing change for organisations and brands. Read more.